Improvement in machine for making metal boxes



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C. L. REIIN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.-

Letters Patent No. 83,209, dated October 20, 1868 IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINE FOR MAKING METALBOXES.

The 'Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, C. L. REI'IN, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Machine for Making Metal. Boxes and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear-and exact description ofthe same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the machine for making metal boxes, for which Letters Patent were granted, by the English Government, to vWilliam Edward Gedge, on the 28th day of June, 1866, and the improvements consist- First, in so hinging the frame of the machine that it can be turned to either a vertical or horizontal p0# sition; and, i

Secondly, in rendering the various parts of the machine adjustable, so that it may be adapted to the manufacture of boxes of different sizes, all of which is fully described hereafter.

In order to enable others skilled in the-art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and' in which- Figure 1, sheet 1,.is a plan view of my improved machine for, making metal boxes, as it appears when ready for use;

Figure 2, sheet l, a side view of the same;

llligggure 3, sheet 2, a sectional view of a portion of the. machine;

Figure 4, sheet 2, a sectional plan view;

Figure 5, sheet 2, a side view;

Figure 6, sheet 2, a diagram illustrating a portion of the frame of the machine;

Figure 7, sheet 1, a view of the machine when arranged for making boxes of small diameter; and

Figure 8, a diagram illustrating my invention.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The frame of the machine consists of a metal plate or platform, A, secured to braces b b,-which are so hinged at a to a table, B, that the said plate can be caused to assume either a horizontal or a vertical scribed hereafter.

A shaft, C, is airanged to tinn in suitable bearings,

formed in projections c c of the plate A, and at one end of this shaft is a bevel-wheel, d, gearing into a similar wheel, d, of a shaft, E, which also turns in projections of the plate A, and is operated by a handle, e.

A cylinder, F, is secured to the opposite end o f the shaft C by a nut and washer, g, in such a manner as to be readily detached therefrom, and nea-r to one end ofthe said cylinder is a rounded projection or rib, f, for a purpose described hereafter. The cylinder has also extending across its surface two grooves, 71. and h', which are adjacent to each other, and parallel with the shaft C; and close to each end of the groove h is a i short rod or pin, t. 4

A roller, G, somewhat shorter than the cylinder F,

and having near one end a groove for the reception'of I the rib f of the latter, is arranged to turn vbetween the forked arms of a lever, H, which is hung to projections.

jj of the plate A; and against the long arm of the lever bears va spiral spring, k, which has a tendencyto maintain the roller G in close contact with the surface of the cylinder F.

A slotted bar, l, (fig. 1,) is so secured to one of the projections vc of the plate A by a set-screw, l, that it may be adjusted to any required position, and from the outer end of this bar,'at right angles tothe same, and parallel with the cylinder F, projects a rod, l.

The latter is provided ith two 'guide-blocks, m m, also adjustable, and having on their inner sides-anges m', for a purpose described hereafter. i

A standard or bracket, p, (iig. 4,) is so. secured. to the plate A by a set-screw, 1)', that-it may be readilyy adjusted from or towards the shaft C, and to this bracket are pivoted, by two pins, q and 1', two levers, J and K.

To an eye, s, at the end of the long arm of the lever J, is attached a cord or chain, x, which passes over a pulley, sf, and has secured to it a counter-weight, (not shown in the drawing) which serves to so operate the lever, that a roller, L, which turns between the forked arms of the same, shall be drawn back free from contact with, the surface of the cylinder F, as shown in ii 3.

A cord, y, is also attached to the eye s of` the lever J, and is connected with a treadle, by operating which the lever may be turned in a contrary direction, and its roller L caused to bear against the surface of the cylinder F, as shown in g. 4.

When the lever J is turned to the latter position, its long ami bears against a spring, t, which is secured to or forms part of the lever K, and causes the latter to be also turned upon its fulcruin lr, until a blade, u, of the same is brought in contact with the surface of the cylinder F.

The blade u, as seen in iig. 2, is almost as wide as the cylinder, a'nd its edge is sharpened and adaptedto the groove h of the same; and it will be seen, on reference to flg. 3, that, when the roller L is drawn back from the cylinder, it bears upon the blade u, and pushes it back also.

Operation. The machine, as above described, is intended to bend a strip of tinned iron, or other thin metal, to a cylinthe shaft O and its cylinder have assumed a vertical oosition, one edge of themetal strip x, to be bent, is ,ntroduced into the groove h of the cylinder F, the oody of the strip being guided and properly held by `:he blocks m and their anges m', as shown in lig. 3.

The shaft C and its cylinder are then, by operati] g )he handle e, turned in the direction of the arrow. I he edge of thestrip, contained in the groove hof she cylinder, turns with the latter; but the body of zhe strip is sufficiently reta-rded by the guides m to )e bent by the same over the edge of the cylinder at ihe rear of its groove, by which means the hook oi' ap, represented at z in fig. 8, is formed.

As the cylinder turns, the strip is pressed against ts siu'face, and caused to assume a circular forni by 'he roller G, which is actuated by the spring 7.' and is soon as the grooveh and its pins 'i have passed to i point beyond the blade uV and roller L, the latter are .lso, by operating tlie cord y, caused to bear upon the trip x on the cylinder, and assist in bending it to the brin ofthe same.

The strip, after being bent around the cylinder, is 'et of sufficient length to extend slightly over and be- 'ond the groove 71,. ,y and this projecting portion of the trip is forced into The said groove' by the sharp edge fthe blade fu, which is itselil directed into the groove y the pins By this means, the second lap z of he strip, shown in fig. 8, is formed.

The parts are now in the position shown in 4, nd preparatory to dropping the bent strip from the ylinder, the motion ofthe latter is reversed, until the )11er G bears upon it, between its grooves 7iy and h', nd is consequently free from contact with the strip. he cord y is at the same time released, and the weight t the end of the cord at allowed to draw the roller L nd blade u. back from the cylinder7 when all pressure pon the strip being released, itivill, in consequence i the vertieal'position o' the cylinder, fall from the .tter and into a suitable receptacle, placed beneath ie table B, to receive it.

Another' strip is then inserted between the guides f 'm into the groove h, and bent in a similar manner, 1d when strips of a different width than that described :quire to be bent, all that is necessary is to adjust ie guide-blocks m m, from or towards each other, 011 ieir rod Z.

In some cases, it may be desirable to form a bead rib upon the metal strip. 'This is done by bending .e strip over the `rib f ot' the cylinder, the guides m having been previously adjusted to such a position to bring the strip directly over the said rib.

When it is necessary, in order to bend the metal for boxes of a different diameter, to change the cylinder F for another of a different size, the machine is first, for convenience in shifting thel cylinders, turned upon its hinges u a, to the position shown by dotted lines in iig. (i, and by full lines in iig. 7. The nut and washer y, which secure the cylinder to its shaft, are removed, the cylinder is withdrawn, and another of the required diameter is secured vin its place, the various .parts of the machine being afterwards properly adjusted, as shoim in tig. 7, where a` cylinder, smaller than that irst described, is illustrated.

The hinging of the frame of the machine at a al is a most important feature of my invention, as it enables me, in the first place, to tiun the machine to a position most convenient for changing the cylinders, and, secondly, to cause the cylinder to assume a vertical position when in use; and the mere position ofthe cylinder upon which the strip is bent is of much importancc; for, if vertical, the bent strip, when relieved from pressure, falls from the cylinder by its own gravity, while, if the cylinder were in any other position, more or less manipulation, and consequent loss of time, would be requiredfto remove the strip.

l do not desire to claim the above machine broadly, as its elements have already' been described in the aforesaid English patent, of June 28, 1866; but

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl.. Hinging the machine at ay a, so that it may be turned to either a vertical or horizontal position, for the purpose described.

2. The standard p, rendered adjustable upon the frame of the machine, as described, so that its levers J and K may be adjusted to suit the size of the cylinder upon which they are caused to bear.

3. The lever K, with its spring t and blade yu., when operated by the lever J, as described.

4. The bar I, secured to the ii'ame of tlie'machine, and rendered adjustable upon the same, in-the manner and for the purpose set forth.

5. The adjustable ilanged guide-blocks m m, for the purpose speeilied.

6.' The lever H, when actuated by a spring, k, as described. Y

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

C. L. REHN.

XVitnesses:

JOHN WHITE, XV. J. R. DELANY. 

